


set my heart on fire

by malumqt (snowboy)



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: ....well slower than i normally am, I HAVE NO SHAME IN HAVING DAN AND PHIL IN THIS, M/M, Mute Michael, and i have no shame over that either, but idk how long it's gonna take for malum to get together, calum is giggly and happy, cause phan is a thing in this, dan is helpful and makes excuses to see phil every morning before he gots classes, i add phan to my tags, i dunno michael just isnt exactly interested in anyone, i feel like i should tag slow build, i thought of this and suddenly it was like I WANNA WRITE THAT, just yeah phil's a helpful teacher, or they gonna be a thing, phil as a teacher tho, really i should be finishing other fics and not starting a new one, soo possible slow build???, sooo this'll probably just have slow updates for a while, soooo i did, soooo phan is in this, uhhhh there's a sorta asexual michael
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-18 07:28:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2340113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowboy/pseuds/malumqt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hi, do you want to be partners?" Calum asked with a smile. Michael froze, he did and didn't. It seemed to be the story of his life. Calum frowned a bit, but Michael held up his hand. He grabbed his backpack from the side of his seat and dug around for a notepad. He had begun to carry around just in case of situations like this. They didn't happen much as most new people knew who he was and being mute by the lunch period.(i suck at summaries)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> sooooooo i'm here with a new fic. i really need to stop with the new fics. i'm sorry. also title from gasoline by troye sivan.

Michael sat in the very back of class. He didn't speak you anyone. He never spoke to anyone. The last person he even mumbled a word to was the English teacher Mr. Lester and that was barley a word. It wasn't that the red haired boy couldn't talk; he just didn't _want_ to talk. He felt like everything he spoke came out wrong. He even had stories which he felt backed it up; when he rejected a girl because he just wasn't interested, then when he rejected a guy because again he just wasn't interested, when his dad walked out on his family because Michael was a "failure." Then there was when he did any kind of public speaking, he just tumbled over words. So he stopped. It was a decision that he was planning to keep. He wouldn’t talk to anyone and then he couldn't disappoint them by his words.

What he didn't think about was how incredibly lonely it would be. No one spoke to him because he didn't speak back. He didn't do anything back. He was just a shell. He acted the part of a good student, always bringing his work in on time, being on time for classes, not skipping school, but that's because he didn't have much else to do with his life. Video games, as fun as they were he wished he could maybe play with someone else, but then talking. That led him to do his homework, and then check his homework again, and again, and again.

As much as he wanted his life to change, he didn't. He liked it the way it was and at the same time he didn't. His life was safe; he didn't have much worries cause no one bothered with him. Most teachers had even given up on him, most everyone had given up on him. All except Mr. Lester, the teacher was a good guy. With black hair styled to the side with a fringe. Mr. Lester just gave Michael little bits of encouragements throughout the day and he was sure that Mr. Lester didn't do many group projects because of Michael.

That was until the first day back from summer vacation. Mr. Lester was actually late to class for one, and then there was another guy sitting on the desk joking with some the other students. "Oh, no, we aren't dating. Yet. I'm working on it. He just forgot all his work at the flat so I dropped by to give it to him. Phil can be quite scattered brained sometimes." A couple seconds after the guy, who Michael learned was Dan Howell, finished talking Mr. Lester or Phil had come through the door.

"I hate you. Next time, tell me if I forgot stuff and you're going to bring it to me." Phil's voice didn't have any hate in it despite his first words. Meanwhile Dan shrugged his shoulders.

"You know you love it! I got to get to my classes at uni now. Buh bye." Dan waved to the class and left. Phil watched him leave and then turned back to the class. He mentioned that he was going to take attendance. Michael didn't listen to closely to the names being called. He knew all of them, "Calum Hood." but not that one, new student probably. Phil looked surprised too.

Then a hand rose up and Michael's eyes drifted over the owner. It was a boy with tanned skin and black hair. He couldn't see the boy's face as he was sitting behind them. A voice came out and Michael straightened in his seat a bit. The boy had a nice voice. "I'm new." He spoke and Phil nodded the continued taking attendance.

When Michael heard his name he saw Phil scan the faces of the class for Michael. Then nodded to himself. "Okay, so today unfortunately you have to work in partners. The person you pick today will be your partner for the rest of the year. The books we're using has a lot of partner works and it'll just be easier to keep you with the same one. Go ahead, pick your partner."

Michael shrugged as he saw Phil sorry stare at him. He knew that if the teacher could've helped it partners wouldn't be needed. Michael was just going to wait though until everyone else had picked partners. Expect he didn't because a new face was in front of him. He recognized it as Calum, just this time he could the boy's face. Which yes, was a very nice face and confused Michael a lot. He never found anyone attractive, sure he'll say look nice, but never attractive.

"Hi, do you want to be partners?" Calum asked with a smile. Michael froze, he did and didn't. It seemed to be the story of his life. Calum frowned a bit, but Michael held up his hand. He grabbed his backpack from the side of his seat and dug around for a notepad. He had begun to carry around just in case of situations like this. They didn't happen much as most new people knew who he was and being mute by the lunch period.

' _sorry, i don't speak but I'll be partners if you want_ ' Michael scribbled down and passed the book to Calum. His brown eyes read over then passed it back to Michael.

"Okay! I've been told I talk enough for two people anyway." Calum sat down next to Michael. The red haired boy wasn't sure what to do now. He hadn't interacted enough to remember how to really act around new people. "I'm Calum! Who are you?"

' _Michael._ ' He passed the note to Calum. The boy nodded. "I like it, it suits you. This is my first day here, and you’re the first person I’ve met." Calum grinned at Michael. It confused Michael a lot, not many people ever bothered to smile at him. He returned the smile.

Suddenly someone walked up to Calum and asked about partners. Michael looked down at his desk, he figured Calum would agree. No one wanted to work with him. He and the person were surprised when Calum shook his head. “Sorry, I’m partnering with Michael.” The person left and Phil announced that they class that day would be getting to know your partner. “Okay, Mikey! Let’s get to know each other.”


	2. Chapter 2

"Favourite colour?" Calum asked as he slightly slouched in his seat with he head turned to Michael. Michael paused for a moment before writing down his answer along with his question. 

'blue. do you have any animals?' Michael held it in front of Calum's face. It had become their system after a couple minutes. Calum would speak and then give Michael the chance to reply or not reply, he chose not to reply most of the time, and when he did he'd just show the paper so Calum could read. 

Not that Michael was actually going to admit it, but he was pretty excited about Calum actually talking to him. The boy showed no signs of judgement to what Michael ever said and he seemed really nice. As Michael has gotten lost in his thoughts he didn't hear Calum's answer. 

"Mikey? How are the clouds?" Calum asked with a giggle when Michael finally looked at him with confusion. "You're head up up in the clouds. Also I have a dog. His name is Percy." The boy paused for a second before speaking again. "Do you have any siblings?"   
Michael shook his head as he wrote down his own question. 'could i meet percy one day?' He passed the note to Calum instead of holding it so he could read. The red haired boy was scared of what Calum's rection would be, Michael shut his eyes not wanting to see. Until he heard a small giggle from Calum.

"Mikey!" Calum sing-songed. "You could come meet Percy whenever you want." Michael looked to Calum and searched his brown eyes to see if it was a joke or if the boy just felt sorry for him, but he saw none of that. Just a happy boy in front of him. Michael grinned at the boy and Calum grinned back.

Michael was actually a bit upset when the class was over and he had to leave Calum. He was hoping that he might see the boy at lunch, but he still didn't believe his luck as it was pretty bad for most of his life. 

He went through half his periods until lunch and when he did get to the cafeteria he was a bit disappointed that Calum wasn't there, but shrugged if off. Michael got his food and sat at a table in the back to avoid people. He didn't want to get stares which he seemed to receive a lot when it was the first day back at school. 

The one thing Michael wasn't expecting was to find a boy with blond hair and blue eyes sit in front of him. He stared at the boy who waved with a small smile. The boy quickly looked down at his phone and texted for a minute and then looked back up.

The blond cleared his throat before speaking. "Hi, I'm Luke. Do you know how hard it was to find you?" Michael stared at the boy with wide eyes. "To be honest it was Ashton who forced this when Calum hadn't seen you anywhere and looked quiet upset about it. Oh and don't worry Calum already told us about you not talking." Michael could see why Calum had become friends with the blonde boy. He talked as much as Calum did. Then again it might just be him trying to fill in the silence between them.

Pretty soon a boy with golden curls and hazel eyes was followed by the pretty tanned boy with brown eyes. "Hi Mikey." Calum greeted with his signature giggle. Michael was noticing just how much the boy did that. It was cute though. And that confused Michael a lot. Somehow a boy had found his way into his thoughts with a couple hours and he was thinking Calum was pretty, which happened to be something he never thought about anyone. 

Finally his mind catched up to what was happening and waved to Calum. The boy ended up sitting next to Michael with the other one next to Luke. Judging from what Luke had said earlier Michael was going to guess that the other boy was Ashton. 

"I really hate maths. I mean it's just really hard. I'll never understand it." Calum spoke and luke commented on the importance on math while Ashton rolled his eyes and joined Calum's side.

Luke sighed. "I could tutor you. I'm already torturing Ashton." Calum shook his head. The boy even took the measure to hide his face in Michael's shoulder. Calum had hugged the mute boy. 

"Save me!" Calum whimpered. Michael just stared, he didn't know what to do. Calum, Luke, and Ashton had been the most social experience he had in the past four years. Besides that he just played video games or read a book. Calum looked up at Michael with a small smile. "You're bad at saving." The red haired boy shrugged. If he would talk he would've said that he wasn't used to saving, but won't so he didn't.

Much to Michael's surprise he felt pretty included in the small group at the table. He even made friends with Ashton a little bit after writing down that would take his side in a debate the three boys were having. Calum had given Michael a kicked puppy look for taking Ashton side, but it was quickly forgotten when he had given the boy his brownie.   
It was the best Michael had felt in years.

When lunch was over Michael figured it was time to part ways, but Calum just got up along with Michael. The red haired boy shot Calum a confused look, hoping he'd get the question he was trying to ask.

The boy winked "I'm walking you to class!" Calum chuckled, but then explained further. "I'm sort of walking you to class. I'll walk you there until we have to spit up for me to get to my class. Though with where you're walking, I think we have the same class." They did have the same class, and the class after, and after. All of the second half of school they shared classes. A couple had Luke and Ashton, but all had Calum.  
It did confuse Michael, about how Calum had spent half the day with Michael and wasn't tired of him yet, but it did surprise him quite as much as Calum running up to him after school when he was walking home. 

-

"Mikey! Wait up!" Michael froze at the name and voice. He really thought the boy would be tired of him by now, but it didn't seem to be true. He turned back to see Calum catching up so he waited. "For a second I was starting to think you're deaf too." The boy joked, Michael shook his head as to say that he isn't deaf.

"Anyway," Calum scratched the back of his head. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today? We could go to my house and play some video games. I mean if you want, you don't half to, but yeah." Michael smiled at Calum who returned it. "Okay, let's go!" Calum held out his hand for Michael to take. The red hair boy stared at the hand for a second until he interlocked his fingers with Calum's.

It had only been a day and already the boy was changing Michael's life. He had more human contact both in communicating and touching then in the past year. He barley hugged his mum, but then his mum didn't really care about him so he never saw much point in it.

"Do you wanna drop off your books at your house now? Or after mine?" Calum asked and Michael shrugged in response."Let's drop them off at your house then! I'd love to see the house of Michael..." The boy trailed off and Michael figured it was because Calum didn't know his last name. "Clifford! It's Clifford. So to the house of Michael Clifford." 

Michael stared at the boy who simply shrugged. "What? Michael Clifford was the only regular Michael in all the classes I had with you. Your last name is Clifford right?" The red haired boy nodded. "See! I still think your name suits you. Like Michael Styles doesn't sound right. Or Michael Hood. Wait! You know what would be a strange name?" Michael shook his head. "Calum Clifford. My initials would be C.C. I knew someone named CeeCee. Lovely girl, not my type though. I'm hella gay." 

Calum rambled about his 'hella gayness' and Michael nodded along. "Woah, hold up!" Calum stopped walking so Michael stopped too. He sent Calum a confused look. "You aren't homophobic are you? I refuse to be friends with someone like that. Unless you'd give me a chance to show you that us gay people are the same as you straight people." 

Michael pulled his backpack off his shoulder and dug through it for his notepad. Upon finding it he scribbled down his response. 'i don't mind that you're gay. just please don't talk about the you know what around me. it makes me uncomfortable.' 

Calum read the note and looked up at Michael. "You know what? I don't know what you mean by that. Do you mean me kissing other dudes or dates or talking about hot dudes or having sex with du-" Michael nodded quickly at the last one. "So don't talk about sex around you?" Michael nodded again. "I can do that!" He flashed a bright smile at Michael who returned with his own small one.

"Okay, let's get going to your house." Calum started walking with Michael following a bit behind. That was until Calum pulled Michael foward so they were walking next to each other. "Mikey, I don't know where you live!" He whined, making Michael blush at the nickname. 

As he thought about it, it was first non hurtful nickname he ever got. Most nicknames he got was because he was quiet or never did anything with anyone. There were a ton of reasons why. Michael was scared though. He was scared to let Calum in too much and having his little world crumbling apart around him. 

To Michael it just meant to not let Calum in all the way. The writing was more than he'd done for most. Meaning Calum was already invading his world with his hyperness and bright smiles. He promised himself that he wouldn't talk to the boy. At least in writing he can erase what he would say before he passed the note over. in talking there wasn't that option.


	3. Chapter 3

Michael really didn't want to go in his house, or more like have Calum go in his house. His mum was home and he didn't want them to meet. It wasn't like he thought his mum would hate Calum, he just wasn’t looking forward to it.

  
He didn't even bother trying to open the door quietly so him and Calum could sneak to his room so Michael could properly put his books away. The house was set up an alarm system that would always say when the door opened. So he knew his mum knew he was back.

  
Calum was just looking all around but when the loud voice came from the end of the hall, the dark haired boy almost jumped out of his skin. "Michael? Honey? Is that you?" Michael heard her voice getting louder by the end, meaning she was coming over.

  
It was something he never understood with his mum. She knew he hadn't spoken in a while, but yet she always called out his name. Michael sent an apologetic smile to Calum just as his mum entered the room.

  
A soft gasp was let out and then Calum's hand was being shaken by Michael's mum. "Hello? Are you a friend of Michael's? What's your name?" Michael rolled his eyes at his mum and her excitement at Calum coming over. Only he thinks rolling his eyes made his mum happier. "Oh! I like you already nameless person. Michael is showing emotion, not that I'm happy it's rolling his eyes at me, but-"  
Michael had quickly, while his mum was talking, scribbled down on his notepad, that he still had ready to talk to Calum. 'mum, we just came to drop off my books then i'm going to calum's (that's calum) so i can meet his dog.' He pushed it into his mum's other hand and stalked off to his room to drop off his books.

  
Calum seemed to still be in the clutches of his mum, so Michael tried not to take too long putting his books away. He was feeling a bit overwhelmed though. It had only been one day and he was already going to Calum's house.

  
He moved to his closet after he finished putting his books back. He shifted through all his shirts and sweaters searching for his favourite grey one. It was pretty big on him and it gave him sweater paws.

  
"I like your mum, but she's a bit much." Michael actually jumped and let out a yelp. He turned to face Calum who was looking like a kicked puppy. "I didn't mean to scare you." Calum apologized and Michael opened his mouth to say it was fine, but quickly closed it and shook his head.

  
He slipped past Calum to his bed so he would write. 'it's fine calum.' Calum still looked a bit side and Michael poked him in the cheek in an effort for a smile. When the giggle escaped Calum's lips, he knew it worked.

  
"I like your room. It's nice, in a room way. You have a lot of books." Michael nodded; his room was filled with books. It was something he loved. They were always great to ignore the world with. "I had a teacher who tried to get me to read more books. I told her I would never need to read a book." There was silence between the two for a little while as Michael watched Calum looked at the book shelves.  
He stopped in on section and pulled out a book. It was The Hobbit and one of Michael's favourites. "I watched the movie for this! Ed's song for it was also great. I feel like I'm talking too much. Am I talking too much?" Calum cocked his head to side as he looked at Michael. Michael just shook his head.

  
Michael thought Calum was doing great for being the first person to really take interest in him after he stopped talking that wasn't hurtful. Calum shrugged and flipped open the book. He read a couple lines and then looked up to Michael again.

  
"Can I borrow this? I promise to return it." Michael nodded without thinking and when he thought about it he nodded again. Calum's lips turned into a wide smile and he almost hugged Michael, but the red haired boy moved back a bit before he could.

  
Michael wasn't sure that he wanted a hug, it felt like too much. It felt like too much having Calum around already, but he sort of liked having the boy around so far.  
"Well," Calum didn't seem fazed by Michael moving away from the hug, or he was very good at hiding it. "Are you ready to meet my dog?"

  
With a quick nod both boys went downstairs to leave, but Michael’s mum was there making food. "Okay! You two get going. Michael, I do not expect you back home for at least two hours. Good bye." She pretty much shoved them out the door and Calum looked as confused as Michael felt.

  
"That happened? I think. Did that just happen? Also did you change sweaters when I wasn't looking? I thought the one you were wearing was more black." Michael nodded as Calum talked and Calum nodded once he finished speaking. "Okay, so are you ready to go to my house?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter, but it felt like a good place to end it soooooo. the chapter's will probably get longer when michael starts talking.


	4. Chapter 4

All of Michael's nervousness in going to Calum's house blew out when a small dog ran to meet him and Calum. Michael, being Michael and loving dogs dropped to one knee and let the dog sniff him before the dog went on its back wanting to be petted.

He couldn't help but let out a squeal at the dog. Michael felt like he was in his own little world where it was just him and the dog. At that moment he had forgotten about Calum. In the end he didn't notice Calum went missing. 

"I think he likes you." Calum spoke and without looking at him, Michael could tell there was a smile of the boy's face. Michael was a bit surprised there was a smile on his own face, but then there was a puppy and it wasn't surprising anymore.

Looking up Michael noticed Calum carrying some chips and soda. He was confused and his face showed it as Calum giggled. "I got these while you were petting Percy." Michael blushed, avoiding Calum's gaze. Somehow the dog's attention got drawn elsewhere and he went racing off leaving Calum and Michael alone. 

Michael wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't used to being around people by himself or even being in someone's house. Either Calum sensed his confusion or was just being Calum, but motioned for Michael to follow. The red haired boy did, and they went up to Calum's room. 

The boy handed Michael a soda and a cell phone. "Put in your number. It'll be better than you having to carry paper around everywhere. You don't have to call me, just text." Michael nodded, before carefully putting his number in and just plain ‘Michael’ as the contact before sending himself a text to have Calum's number in his phone. 

Michael handed the phone back to Calum and pulled out his own. He texted Calum a simple 'hi' paired with a smiley face. "Hey, Mikey. I figure you text me and I can just speak. You know. I like it would be weird if we're in the same room just texting each other."

'okay' 

"Hey! Wanna play some video games? I got Mario Kart or FIFA!" 

'mario?'

"Okay!" Calum jumped up and went to work setting up the game. Michael didn't understand why all this was happening. He wondered why Calum had decided to be friends with him and just be so nice. No one really bothered to do that once he stopped talking. It was only his mum, who was a bit strange, but he loved her, and his English teacher Phil who was just really nice. 

Suddenly Michael was pulled out of his thoughts with a controller being shoved into his hands. "You have your head up in the clouds again. Do you always have them up there? I mean I would think because you don't speak so maybe you just have your thoughts, but that would get lonely. I would get lonely, but I'm also really social. At my last school I managed to become one of the populars, but they were all jerks so I stopped hanging out with them, but I was still popular and it was weird, but nice. You don't seem like someone who would want to hang out with a ton of people. I also probably seem like someone who rambles and I'm sorry." 

'it's okay. you speak enough for the both of us' Instead of putting a smiley in the text, Michael smiled at Calum. He really didn't mind the ramblings. It was nice to have someone was talking to him and he could put in his own input if he wanted.

"I guess I do, but if you want me to shut up just shove me or something." Calum shrugged. "Anyway game time!" They went along playing Mario Kart for the next two hours. Calum was always Lugi and Michael stuck with being Yoshi. Michael did end up shoving Calum, but not to get the boy to shut up. More like the boy ran him off Rainbow road and Michael had playfully shoved him.

It ended in Calum playfully shoving back and then a game of tag. They ran around the house at each other for a while and then went in the backyard, where Percy had ran with them. Michael breathlessly laughed when he fell on the grass and Calum more or less fell on purpose next to him. 

"You know it's been three hours." Calum stated as he rolled onto his side to look at the red haired boy and Michael sent him a confused look because he left his phone in Calum's bedroom. "Your mum? She said you had to be out for two hours at least. So whenever you want to go home you can. Not that I'm kicking you out! If you wanna stay for dinner or something you can! I can let my parents know you don't talk so you don't have to suffer through their interview." Michael shrugged. He didn't mind staying, but didn't know how to say that without speaking. 

"Does the shrug mean you don't care or you'll stay?" Calum asked. Michael wasn't sure how to answer that so held up two fingers. "Okay! You're staying for dinner! Should we call your mum to let her know? Or well I would call, you would text, but you get what I mean."

Michael nodded making Calum jump up and offer a hand to help Michael up. "I can call your mum?" The boy asked and Michael nodded. He didn't want to deal with his mum's excited texts. "Okay, I'll go do that and my parents should be home soon so I can introduce you. C'mon, you can play Mario while things get set up and whatnot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter may be short, but it makes me happy so it's what i give to you. anyway happy thanksgiving or happy thursday if you don't celebrate thanksgiving! ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayeeeee double update cause i got bored today!

Playing Mario in a house other than his own isn't something Michael had planned to do again when he decided to stop talking, but there he was in Calum's room as Yoshi trying not to fall off rainbow road. Calum was on his own bed talking to Michael's mum on the phone. 

"Your mum is weird." Calum mumbled sinking down next to Michael. The red hair boy nodded with Calum's comment. Somehow Michael always wondered how he ended up like he did with his mum, being well, his mum. Even so, he did and he wasn't going to change it. It was scary to think about changing it. 

Michael was pulled out of his thoughts by driving off rainbow road, making the boy groan and rests his head on Calum's shoulder. He mumbled incoherent words and it was low enough that he knew Calum couldn't hear. He could hear sounds, but not actual words, not that any words that he was mumbling made sense. 

"Wait, can you talk?" Calum asked with shock evident in his voice making Michal raise his head to look at the boy. As he didn't feel like grabbing his phone, Michael nodded. "I didn't know you could talk. I assumed it was some accident or birth thing that made you not talk." 

Michael froze, his mind suddenly started over thinking and he was worried Calum had not minded his muteness because the boy thought it was something he couldn't change. Tugging at his sweater sleeves, Michael avoided eye contact with Calum. He was waiting for Calum to say something. 

"You ran out of time, you know." He wasn't expecting that though. Michael glanced up at Calum who was looking at the screen where yep, he had ran out of time to finish the race. 

Feeling extremely confused, Michael pulled out his phone and quickly texted Calum. 'do you want me to leave or?' 

Calum's phone dinged and the boy looked surprise as he unlocked. The surprise turned into worry then sadness. "No! I didn't mean it like- I meant- It's your choice to talk or not and I-" Calum stumbled over his words and quickly pulled Michael into a hug. "I didn't mean anything bad by it. I was just surprised. If you wanna talk, then talk, if you don't, then text or write. I'll still bother you as long as I don't annoy you." 

Stopping himself from speaking, Michael shook his head and pulled back from the hug to text, 'you don't annoy me' making the boy grin when he read it. 

Before either boy could say anything else the front door open making Calum jump up. He offered a hand to help Michael up; making the red hair boy assume it was Calum's parents who were home.

Going to the living room, Calum called a greeting. "Hey mum, dad." His parent's said Hi back, not yet seeing Michael as he was hiding behind Calum. Nerves were getting the better of him and he wanted to run back to Calum's room and just hide. However Calum was still holding his hand from when he helped the boy up, so Michael couldn't do that. He did have the strength to pull Calum along too.

"Okay, this is Michael." Calum turned to point to Michael, but seeing the boy not next to him, but still holding his hand made him confused. Michael sensed the confusion and shyly stepped from behind Calum. The boy grinned and continues on the introduction. "This is Michael, he goes to my school and we're gonna be English partners all year round. He's really nice and obviously shy." Calum quickly spoke, but Michael noticed the one detail he hadn't mentioned. 

It was too late to avoid the awkwardness of the situation that followed of both parents saying hello, and Michael just waving. The red hair boy felt the awkwardness all around him and he clutched onto Calum's hand. 

"Oh! He's, um, selectively mute? Is that the term? Anyway he doesn't talk, he can, but he doesn't. So me and him just text, or he texts and I talk, but he agrees that I talk enough for the two of us, so it's no problem!" Calum rambled with Michael nodding along. Calum’s parents seemed to understand.

The dinner went, in Michael’s opinion, surprisingly well. He communicated via texting Calum and movements of his head plus shrugs. The one question Michael was expecting, which was why he was mute, never came up. 

In a way Michael didn’t believe what was going on, he was confused on how everything happened. Calum just came in with rambles and smiles. It scared Michael a bit, ‘cause what would happen when Calum decided he didn’t want to deal with Michael anymore? Michael didn’t want to find out, so when he was back in his own bed, texting Calum random tips on how to play a video game, he promised himself to subtlety distance himself so when Calum left, it wouldn’t hurt so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo michael's gonna try slowly edging away from calum. things are gonna start happening now i guess. idk. i'm making everything up as i go along....which is what i do with all my fics. idk if it's a bad thing or not. is it a bad thing???


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning at school, Michael wasn't sure on what he was going to do. He wanted to avoid Calum, but he also didn't want to make the boy worry. 

He was early for class as everyone was out catching up with friends so he just went to the back and took a seat. Michael wasn't expecting anyone to come in for another couple minutes so when he saw a older boy with brown hair and dressed in almost all black, with Starbucks in his hand, Michael was confused. The person look familiar, but Michael knew they didn't go to the school so he wasn't sure where he'd seen them.

"Hey, have you seen Phil?" The guy spoke and Michael realized who it was. It was Dan Howell, the same guy from yesterday. With Dan still staring at him, Michael realized he had answered the question at all so he quickly shook his head. 

Dan hummed in response and set the Starbucks drink down on the desk, then took a seat across from the red haired boy. "Are you Michael?" Dan asked and Michael froze. He wasn't sure how Dan knew who he was or why. "Sorry, you didn't say anything and Phil went off on a rant when he heard about all the partner works in the lessons this year cause of a Michael and he said they didn't talk and he didn't want to forced it out of them and I don't know. You didn't say anything, so I thought." Dan trailed off and Michael felt bad for the sudden awkwardness.

"I'm going to assume you're Michael, since you haven't said anything yet and it's nice to meet you. Now I can put a face to the name." Dan gave an easy smile which Michael hesitantly returned. "I'm not sure what to say really. Malteser?" Being handed the candy, Michael took it then looked from it to Dan and back. 

The older boy simply chuckled and ruffled Michael's hair. "It's candy, Mike. You put it in your mouth." With a shrugged he popped the chocolate candy in his mouth and nodded. It was good, actually really good. 

"I like you, Michael. You're pretty cool. Cooler than most kids here." Dan commented while munching on more maltesers and handing a couple at a time to Michael every couple of seconds. "Well, I gotta go or I'll be late for classes. I'll probably see you soon with all the excuses I make to see Phil. Here, have the rest and somehow notify to Phil the drink is his from me." Michael nodded and Dan left. 

He was confused with the interaction. For some reason he was getting social interaction, before it was little to none. Even if his interaction had been a total of four new people, it was still a lot for Michael. Munching on the maltesers Michael tried to not over think everything.

When the door opened again, Michael was pulled away from his thoughts. It was just the teacher Phil, but Phil noticed the drink and Michael hadn't thought of a way to let Phil know about Dan. In trying to think about how, he was lost again and got pulled out when Phil spoke. 

"Hey, Michael. How's your week going?" Phil asked. "Also do you happened to know who's drink this is?" 

Taking a pause, Michael looked from the box of maltesers to the drink. An idea popping into his head, he pointed to the drink then to Phil and then to the maltesers. 

"Drink. Mine. Maltesers? I don't und- Wait, Dan? This is from Dan?" Michael quickly nodded at Phil's realization. There was a silence for a couple seconds before Phil spoke again. "I'm guessing you got the maltesers from Dan?" Michael nodded again and Phil smiled. The red haired boy noticed it was a very Dan only smile. 

However the bell rung so the sort of talk he was having with Phil was cut short as people filtered in. Within seconds Michael knew when Calum entered. The boy was giggling as usual and from hearing it all the day before it wasn't hard to recognize. He didn't recognize who Calum was giggling at, but he told himself he didn't care.

A moment later Calum was sat next to Michael and started quickly telling him about his day in the two minutes they had before class started. The red haired boy still munching on the maltesers as he listened and earning stares from everyone in the class. He figured it was because of Calum and him eating in class since that wasn't allowed. 

One kid spoke up about it, but Phil shrugged saying class hadn't started yet. Michael took the hint so when the bell rung a second time, he closed the half eaten box of malteasers and put them in his bag. Class went normally, luckily there wasn't partner work. It was just going over more of what would be happening. Michael took a couple notes on the stuff he didn't know so he could look up later and understand it more when they got there.

Class went by quickly and soon Michael was in a crowded hallway to his next class. With a couple minutes to spare Michael settled down into his seat. He jumped when the girl next to him started talking.

"Hey, you know Calum! Do you think you could introduce me and him?" The girl was all smiles, but as soon as Michael shook his head it turned into an angry stare. "Fine, freak. I don't need your help to be introduced to a ray of sunshine." She huffed and looked straight ahead. 

Michael frowned, freak repeating in his head over and over. Also the fact he'd manage to mess up without speaking. He stopped speaking so he could stop messing up so much, but it didn't seem to work that way. Not wanting to deal with school or more like life that day, Michael let himself wander through his thoughts as he stared ahead at the board making it look like he was paying attention.

The rest of his classes were like that. Different people wanted to be introduced to Calum and when Michael shook his head or didn't say anything, they got annoyed and called him some name. Which hurt a lot. Michael couldn't understand that just because he wouldn't introduce them that he was a freak or anything else. 

By lunch time, Michael wasn't ready to deal with anything. He was drifting along, more like a shell doing all the things he should be doing, but he was lost in thoughts while doing it. 

At lunch the red haired boy wasn't expecting much. He was just working on finishing the maltesers he had, for lack of appetite for anything else, when Ashton sat down across from him. 

"Hey Michael." The boy greeted politely. He simply waved back. The two didn't say much for almost the entire lunch hour and it was just the two of them. That confused Michael in more ways than one. He wanted to know why it was just the two of them and why Ashton was sitting with him and where was Calum. 

Pulling out a notebook and pencil Michael scribbled his second question on there and passed it to Ashton. The curly haired boy read it a couple times making Michael bite his lower lip out of nerves and tug his sleeves.

"Am I not allowed to sit here?" Ashton asked slowly like he didn't fully understand the question. 

Michael shook his head, then nodded it, and then grabbed the pad of paper back. 'i mean why are you sitting here with me instead of with someone more interesting and talkative?' He passed it back. Ashton read it and a look of understanding crossed his face.

"Oh! Because you seem cool, both Luke and I think you're cool. He would've sat here too, but he had a doctors thing. Also I don't mind that you aren't talkative and I dunno. You seem to need a friend, so even if you're not going to talk I'm going to be here no matter what." Ashton explained with a smile. 

Michael staring in shock and not knowing what else to do, just offered Ashton one of the malteasers. The boy took it happily and they went back to their silence for the rest of the lunch hour. 

On Michael's way out of the cafeteria he noticed Calum hanging out with the girl that had called him a freak earlier and pretty much everyone. He was being a regular social butterfly, the exact opposite of Michael. There was a pang of hurt as Michael noticed how easily it seemed to be to for Calum replace him, but he pushed it aside and began to walk to class. 

Keeping his head down as he walked through the mess of halls made it easier to run into people, but as Michael didn't really do it as he looked up often enough he didn't care. Only that day wasn't his day and ran straight into Calum. Which went his plan to ignore the boy. 

Looking up into the brown eyes of Calum who was looking down with such concern was too much for Michael. He didn't want to deal with Calum coming into his life knocking down most of the wall's Michael had up and then turning around to easily replace him. He looked to Calum and to some of the snickers behind the boy over Michael running into Calum. 

The red haired boy did the next thing he thought of. He ran away. Michael wasn't sure where he was running, but he was running. He ran out the school doors and down the road. Michael hadn't done much running in his life so he quickly had to stop, but he noticed he put a bit of distance between him and the school which contained Calum. 

In a way, Michael almost wanted to go back to the school so he could get Ashton's help, but he didn't want the possibility of facing Calum again so he wandered around the town. It was busy for that day, but no one paid attention to Michael and he could easily stay in his own world....and ignore the mass texts his cell was getting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooooooooo i was gonna update on the weekend, but i finished writing this last night and i'm forever too lazy to edit (srsly tho, like none of my fics are really edited cause lazy) so here you go. have new chapter. also dan and phil might actually become sorta important characters in this. i have no shame.


	7. Chapter 7

It wasn't that Calum didn't want to sit with Michael at lunch; it was that he couldn't find the red haired boy. Before he could walk around and look, the popular table had sucked him in and Calum didn't want to be impolite so he talked to them. Be it, a tad distracted as he looked for Michael.

Some girl had rested her head on his shoulder and all Calum could think of was the day before when Michael had done the same thing after losing the game of Mario kart.

Calum didn't find it strange at all when he knew he liked the red haired boy. He had always had the habit of falling quickly and falling hard only to have the other person not feel the same and things get awkward. He was determined not to have the same thing happen with Michael. He wanted to be the boy's friend.

Now just as Calum was going to start his search in the back, which he was swearing himself out on having that be the last place he looked, the bell rung and he was forced to go to classes. The popular kids followed him around, which he was definitely confused about, but wasn't going to question it too much since he liked having tons of friends.

Shrugging Calum started making his way to his class with people following he were going in the same direction if not the same class. They had been talking when Calum felt himself collide with another person. Looking just a little down he saw the red hair and knew it was Michael.

He looked down, feeling concerned because Michael had his head down low and he hadn't seen him at lunch. There were snickers behind him and he was about to tell them to shut up when Michael ran. Calum cursed and tried running after him, but some guy made a comment about how weird Michael was so Calum went to defend the boy who wasn't even there.

It didn't exactly end well for Calum, he knew he wasn't going to be invited by half of the poplar’s again, and the other half didn't seem to care so he shrugged it off. The bell rung again for classes to start and Calum knew he was already late, so he skipped. Calum was pretty determined to find Michael, so he was just going to skip the rest of classes.

Sending text after text to Michael didn't seem to do anything at all. It never showed if the boy read them and Calum was starting to get worried. So he just kept sending them, until he started hearing faint dings after he would send them and followed them until it got louder.

Soon enough he'd found Michael, sitting in a park just staring out lost in thoughts as he always seemed to be. Calum plopped himself right down next to Michael, making the boy give out a started yelp. At first Calum giggled before quickly apologizing.

"Sorry for terrifying you. I didn't mean too. You know my mum once said I was like a ninja because I always snuck up on people without intending too. I don't know, I guess I was being more sneaky than I thought. For a year after they'd told me that, I had wanted to go to a ninja school. I'm glad I didn't or that there aren't ninja schools around that i could find. 'Cause who knows where I would've been. I like it here, it's nice here." Calum stopped himself before he said that he liked it there with Michael.

Suddenly Calum gasped and turned to face Michael. "We've already skipped class. Can we go out for frozen yogurt? Please!" Calum fixed Michael with his puppest puppy dog look and notices the boy cracking a smile before nodding. "Yes! Let's go"

Jumping up, Calum held out a hand to help Michael up. The red haired boy took it after a couple seconds and go up. Calum wanted to know how long he could hold Michael's hand before it got awkward and one of them pulled away so he just held on to the other boy's hand and started walking to the frozen yogurt shop.

They wandered around for a while on the way there, neither boy talking. Michael seemed up in the clouds again and Calum was concentrating on finding the shop and just enjoying hanging out with Michael.

When finally getting there Calum frowned, realizing he'd have to let go of Michael's hand to make the frozen yogurt. With relunctance he did and that seemed to pull Michael down from his thoughts. The two went about making their frozen desserts Calum being quicker and already adding topping while Michael was still choosing flavours.

He finished with the toppings and turned to see Michael looking uncomfortable under the gaze of a girl. She seemed to be talking to him, but when Calum wandered over he noticed it was flirting and that made him feel jealous. Pushing that feeling away and seeing Michael uncomfortable, Calum walked up and put his arm around Michael.

"Hey kitten, need help with your yogurt?" Calum cooed to Michael, mentally laughing at the girl's shocked look. His acting almost faltered when Michael nodded his head and moved close to Calum. The girl sputtered before turning on her heel and leaving.

Telling himself that he was just keeping the act up in case, but really Calum liked having Michael so close, he kept his arm around the red haired boy and helped choose flavours. 

Once sitting down on a park bench with their frozen yogurts, Calum finally moved away a bit to give Michael his space. He didn't know if the red haired boy would make mention if he didn't like Calum being so close or not and he didn't really want to find out.

There was comfortable silence until Calum's phone made noises for a text message. Calum bit his lower lip, not wanting to check his texts and make Michael think he didn't care, but after Michael glanced at him Calum pulled his phone out. 

_'Thank you for the help back there'_

_'i couldn't just tell her tell eave'_

_'also kitten????'_

Calum giggled at Michael's questioning on the pet name. "Yes, kitten. You're cute and cuddly like a kitten." Calum's giggles were cut short when he realized what he had said. "I mean, um, friend. I mean it in a friend way, you know?"

_'cute??'_

_'i'm not cute'_

Michael pouted at being called cute, Calum freaked out a bit at the frown. He didn't want to make Michael sad, so he tried to backtrack.

"I meant beautiful! Wait, that's probably as bad as cute. Um, attractive? Attractive seems to be a neutral term. I know some guys who get upset with being called cute." Calum spoke quickly, but only saw Michael pout even more.

_'i'm not attractive'_

Not even thinking about it Calum pulled Michael in for a hug. He felt Michael tense up at first, but slowly become more comfortable. "Listen, kitten, you are cute and beautiful and attractive. Think of any good adjective that you can think of, okay? Now that adjective is you. "

Michael simply nodded and Calum pulled back giving Michael the biggest smile he could. "It's getting late; c'mon I should take you home." Michael nodded again and the two walked with Calum making comments about random things he would see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk where i'm going with this. i like making things up as i go along. btw my tumblr is ghostytommo if you want to yell at me to update or have a chat! ^_^


	8. Chapter 8

Now being the first one to Phil's class wasn't the worst thing ever. Most of the time either Dan, Phil or both were there and they had mini conversations. Within the past couple weeks of the new school year, Michael had gotten more comfortable around the two of them. He thought it might've been the comfort that did it, but it Monday and after having a pretty good breakfast full of texting Calum, who just did something to Michael's hearr and made him happy, Michael was in a uncharacteristically good mood.

He strolled right into the room where Dan was munching on some candy and Phil was going over the lesson for that day before he had to present it. Both looked up when Michael came in and said a greeting as normal. The only thing that wasn't normal was Michael. Or more specifically what Michael said.

"Hi!" He chriped. His voice was scratchy from disuse, but understandable all the same. Dan didn't react, but Phil did. Phil jumped out of his seat and stared at Michael. Which confused the red haired boy. All he did was say-oh.

Dan took it much better than Phil, he pulled Phil back down. "Calm down there, Lion. He just said hi. Not much different from a wave or him writing." Then he turned to Michael and held out a bad of gummy bears. "Want a gummy bear? Take some."

Michael nodded and took a couple before taking his seat. Phil stared shocked at him, but Michael could see gears in the teacher's mind working. Not that Michael cared, he was thinking more about what Dan said. Was talking with his own mouth and voice really different from talking through texting or writing. Sure he had always thought he could delete what he had typed and replace it, but he could probably thinkg over what he wanted to say before he said it. Ashton seemed to do that bit.

He sat quitely listening to Dan talk about gummy bears and Phil putting in input, and whenever he did Dan sent Michael a look of damn, Phill is cute. Not that Michael minded. He liked Dan and Phil, for being in uni or his teacher they were both really nice and they felt like people he could trust. Not that he wanted to trust people just yet, but if he had to he'd trust them.

When it was time Dan handed the bag with half the gummy bears still in it to Michael and left for uni just as rest of the students came pouring in. Michael tucked the bag into his backpack and when he looked up he saw Calum smiling at him. Lately Michael's heat had been doing flips as Calu, smiled or they shared some joke. He just really liked spending time with the boy.

English went on as normal, the two had taken to passinb notes until the daily partner work came in and they worked on that with comments from Calum. There was so many new things Michael was noticing about Calum. Like how he looked when concentrating with a pencil behind his ear when he wasn't using it and then would make the habit of having papers all around their desks with his eyes dotting from one to the next and writing whatever they needed down.

After class Michael would look forward to lunch where he can hang out with Luke and Ashton, however he seemed to be closer with Ashton than Luke. Only Michael put it down as the one art class they shared where the two started a small paint war and gotten detention for it, but got closer as friends so it was worth it. Plus the paint war was fun.

Luke and Ashton had been making heart eyes at each other all lunch period until at the very end when Calum got up to throw his food away, nudged Luke and the blonde boy's lips met Ashton's cheek. Luke blushed and stumbled out a confession. Ashton doing the same and it was all very cute, but something in Michael wished it was him and Calum, but he pushed that feeling deep down. Deep down. He was scared of those feelings.

Calum offered a hand just as the bell rung and the two quickly ran to their next class. Really the rest of the day went normal qith no changes, but then when Calum and Michael were walking to Michael's house to hang out Calum made a sudden confession.

"I want to hear your voice." He spoke quickly and slapped a hand over his mouth quickly. "I mean-uh." Calum's face was showing off a blush making Michael giggle and think Calum was so cute. In a split second Michael made a choice.

"Okay." The words of Dan rung though his head as the older boy had never seen any difference in Michael talking or writing so he wasn't too scared over it. His voice was still scratchy from disuse, but just that one words made Calum stop in his tracks.

"Shit. I didn't think- I mean- You're voice is nice." Calum stumbled over his words in shock.

Michael shrugged, he didn't like his voice too much. Taking a second to think of what he wanted to say, Michael smiled. "It's hoarse, but it'll get better."

"Do you mean you're going to start talking more?" Michael nodded, making Calum pulled the boy in a hug. "Okay, Mikey. I need you to tell me all about you're favourite All Time Low album."

Michael cocked his head to the side, he'd already told Calum about it. "I already told you."

"I know, but I want to hear you yourself talk about it. Not read it on my phone. I want to hear how excited you get and upset about how you wish you could meet them, but there's no hope." Calum explained quickly and Michael sort of understood. He loved hearing how Calum's voice raised just a bit when he got excited and how to changed from sarcastic to sassy to funny to happy.

So Michael started on his favorite All Time Low album as the two walked home with Calum hanging on his every word and committing it all to memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am laaaateee with this update and i'm sorry. i had writer's block and i didn't know what to do. so idk i made michael talk and made malum start to happen on michael's side. anyway this isn't edited at all so if anything is wonky lemme know. see you whenever i update again :)


	9. Chapter 9

As Michael slowly became more comfortable talking, he got better around people. Found himself making friends with a couple other students who played the same online video games he did. Not that he was ever as comfortable with them as he was with Calum.

There was still that tiny voice in his head saying crush, but Michael didn't want to accept that. He'd never had a crush on anyone before. Neither boy or girl. He just convinced himself that they were best friends and that's all. Although best friends that seemed to do a lot of what Luke and Ashton did, minus the dinner dates and kisses.

Which is why he told himself he was fine when Calum brought a new guy to their table. It was some boy named Troye. Who was really nice, Michael liked Troye. Just not so much the fondness between him and Calum. As he did with every feeling lately, he pushed it away.

He told himself it wasn't like Calum had stopped hanging out with him or they had drifted apart, not at all. Just now Troye joined in sometimes, but it was fine. So completely fine-and he wasn't fooling himself. It hadn't been fine and he'd gone back to the quiet side. He didn't think anything noticed, but being pulled into an empty classroom by Ashton changed that.

"What are-" Michael started, but Ashton covered his mouth.

"Shush Michael. We're trying to sneak put of school." Which really Michael thought there were easier ways than what Ashton and couple moments Luke were doing, but he went along with it. They snuck out a window. Michael thought it was over board. He'd always ran out a back door.

Pretty soon after casual walking, that could be called overly casual, the trio had gotten to a frozen yogurt shop. Michael recognized it as the one Calum and him first went to. The two sat with their frozen yogurts that Luke paid for and Michael finally spoke.

"What's going on? I'm getting in a polynomial relationship with you two." Michael stated, stirring his yogurt around. Ashton made a face at Michael's comment.

"First, no. My Lukey. Second, we want to talk about Calum." As Ashton said Calum's name, Michael froze. He didn't understand why they would want to talk to him about Calum. He seriously didn't.

"So you like Calum, Calum seems to like Troye, and Troye like's Tyler-"

"There's a lot of non straight couple at this school." Luke commented, interrupting Ashton. The older boy gave Luke a glare and then a peck before turning his attention back to Michael.

"As I was saying. Troye like Tyler and Tyler likes Troye back. So Calum isn't going to get anywhere with Troye. So you, Clifford. Need to swoop in like a hawk while Calum's single and pinning over a unavailable guy." Ashton spoke like it was the easiest thing in the world. Which might be in his world. In Michael's it wasn't easy.

The red haired boy quickly shook his head and avoided looking up from his frozen yogurt. Ashton whined and Michael shook his head again. He couldn't do it. Too many things to go wrong, too much friendship to lose if it did.

Ashton sighed, but nodded anyway. So they all changed subjects and hung out until Luke and Ashton had to leave.

Michael started walking back to his house, it was getting late and he wanted to sleep and avoid the world for those hours. He was only halfway to his house when was ran into Dan. Not literally run into, but Dan had noticed him and came over.

"Hey Mikey. How's it going? Phil texted me that Calum was looking for you." Michael groaned. He forgot his phone in his jacket that was in his locker. Ashton hadn't given him time to get it or did Michael think about it.

"Do you not want to see Calum?" Dan asked curiously and that was all Michael heard, just curious.

Michael shrugged his shoulders before expanding. "I don't know. I like Calum, but I may have a crush on him and I don't know what to do with it. Why couldn't life be more simple?" Dan smiled and ruffled Michael's hair.

"I've asked myself that after many existential crises. Still don't have an answer for it. Just know it's only a crush if you don't do anything about it 'cause you'll never know how it could've gone." The older boy once again gave Michael words to think over,

"What about you and Phil?" Michael asked with the same curiosity.

"Oh, it's a crush. I haven't done anything about it. I keep chickening out." Dan shrugged, like he had sorta accepted it. His phone buzzed and by the way Dan's face brightend up it was Phil.

Michael could tell they'd be parting ways. "If it helps, Phil likes you too. Bye." He said before turning away and walking the finale bit home.

Walking in his mum was in the kitchen and gave him a look as he came in. It was a _what have you been doing?_ look. Which made Michael confused and quickly escape to his room. Opening the door to his room, he saw Calum jump up off his bed.

Then Calum's weight as he was tackled to the ground in a hug and then a pair of soft lips on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> betcha didn't see an update coming this soon did you??? i promised anon on tumblr that i would do my bestest to update tonight or tomorrow. the former came (it's still night for me. 2am but still night) and you all get update. i did choose to put cliffhanger in cause i could so tbh you might get another update soon. i promise i won't leave you for a month with this. oooh also my tumblr is ghostytommo and you can totally come yell at me to update or we can become friends and talk about malum and phan and have lovley time. cause for some reason the two ships in this is malum and phan instead of malum and lashton.


	10. Chapter 10

Maybe he was over reacting, maybe Michael was completely fine. Just took a long way home. Or got jumped and was bleeding to death, or was dead. No, he was fine, completely fine. Calum kep trying to tell himself that. He repeated it over and over.

The younger boy was pacing in Michael's room as he'd told Michael's mum that he was worried and she let him stay. The concern about Michael hadn't fully set in until he got to Michael's house and the red haired boy wasn't there.

Calum texted him almost every minute, but with no luck. It would say delivered but never read and then it was just sent. Each passing moment made him more worried. He thought he was imaging things when he faintly heard a front door open, but then the bed room door opened and there was Michael.

A completely unmurdered Michael. He didn't look the slightest bit injured. Calum didn't mean to tackle Michael to the ground, it was supposed to be a hug, but he felt Michael stumble and fall back so Calum feel on top of him.

Without even thinking about it, he pressed his lips to Michael's. Taking in the faint taste of frozen yogurt. For a split second Michael seemed to kiss back, but then pushed Calum away. The younger boy straddled Michael and was confused, until it sunk in that he kissed Michael.

How was he going to explain that? Calum was just happy that Michael wasn't dead and kissed the boy. "Uh, Mikey that- I mean- You-" Calum stammered trying to find words to say. For someone who could normally never be at a loss for words, finally was.

"You kissed me?" Michael questioned, shock coming through his voice. "Why did you kiss me?"

Calum blushed. He wanted to confess how much he liked the boy and that's what stumbled out of his mouth. "I-uh-I really like you, Michael. Like a lot."

"No."

"What?"

Michael's face was carefully blank and that worried Calum. "You can't like me Calum. Life is never that easy. You might just think you like me."

Calum felt sad, confused, and upset. "I do! I like you so much! Hell, I might even love you. If you don't like me back then speak now so I can try to move on and have minimal heartbreak!" The boy watched Michael's face and it stayed blank. It was silent for a while until Calum got up and grabbed his jacket. "I guess that's a no. I-I'll see you at school tomorrow." Calum quickly rushed out of the house and past Michael's mum.

Tears had filled his eyes. He really hated how quickly he got attached to people. Calum was already so attached to Michael and trying to get over him would be hard. Calum really wanted to stay friends, but he didn't know just how well that would turn out.

***

The second Calum left, Michael regretted not saying anything. He didn't know what to do and stayed in his room with the door locked despite his mum's plea to let her in. Michael just wanted to be alone again. Maybe it was lonley and he'd miss people, but it was easier than all the drama. The only drama he could have alone is with himself.

Curling into his blanket Michael cried and slept until he had to go to school. He didn't want to, but he had too. Changing from yesterdays clothes, he slipped on a different sweater and tugged the sleeves over his hands. Silently going downstairs and past his mum doing work, he started for school. In the distance he could see Calum walking alone, and he almost jogged up before remembering that they weren't on good terms. So he stayed behind.

Getting to school took longer than Michael remembered. It wasn't filled with Calum's rambling and Michael's own thoughts weren't great toward him. So the red haired boy straight to English and silently took his seat. Phil had been graded papers so he hadn't noticed Michael and Dan wasn't there to offer random sweets or wise words.

Part of Michael wanted to leave once Calum walked in and took his seat next to Michael, but it was too late as the bell rung and the lesson started. He was avoiding glancing at Calum and kept to himself. Even when they did their partner work it was quiet and neither spoke to each other.

Once the lesson was over, Michael sped out of the room and out the back door of the school. He thought maybe he could do it, but really it was the hardest thing to do. He just wanted to go up to Calum and act like nothing had happened, but it seemed too late. So Michael wandered the town again, this time with his phone but it didn't explode with texts from Calum.

Somehow Michael ended up in a shop by the hair dye section and in a spur of the moment thought, grabbed a random colour and returned home. His mum wasn't there and Michael didn't know where she was so he just went to work on dying his hair a different colour.

With in the process of dying his hair, Michael thought about Calum and then about Calum and him. He wanted it to be him and Calum, but he was scared. He didn't want to ruin anything, but then he figured he had ruined everything, so really what would be the worst to happen.

By the end Michael had green hair and wanted to try it out with Calum if the younger boy still liked him. He wasn't sure how to go about it though and he would ask Dan and Phil or Luke and Ashton about what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seeeee not a month wait. the malum is starting okay. it's going to be a thing. :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....hi. late af update, i know. i'm sorry. i have no excuse. like at all.

"Listen, Mikey- No saying Mikey will hurt too much." Calum paced outside of Michael's house as he waited for the boy to come out with the intention of going to school. Calum was trying to figure out how to apologize for the kiss and maybe go back to simply being friends.

He kept telling himself he could do friends, of course he could do friends. Being friends wasn’t the end of the world. He was friends with Michael before, only now he would really have to keep his feelings in check. But he would get over Michael...hopefully.

"I can do this. It would just be Michael, we need to talk. No, no, that's a couple breaking up. Ay Mikey we still cool? Damn, that sounded better in my head." Calum ran a hand through his hair, he honestly didn't know how to go about it. What would he even do when he saw-

"Hey." Michael. Calum glanced up at the shy looking boy with green hair and his normal sweater, complete with the sweater paws. "Um, c-can we talk? Like on the way to school?" Calum nodded, not speaking. It was going to be a lot harder than he thought to apologize to Michael.

"So about the, you know, kiss." Michael started, but Calum quickly built up the courage to cut him off and explain.

"I'm sorry. About the kiss, I was just really excited seeing you back safely and I get that you don't feel that way about me."

"But-"

"But! I think we should still be friends. I'll keep my feelings in check, I promise."

"Cal-"

"I know it might be awkward for-" Calum was finally cut off by a pair of lips crashing onto his own. The kiss was messy and awkward, but it served its purpose of getting Calum to shut up.

"Shut up and listen to me." Michael spoke breathlessly, pulling away from the kiss. He took Calum's hand into his own and rubbed circles on it. "I thought about the kiss yesterday, okay? I like you. God Calum, I like you so much, but it terrifies me. I haven't dated anyone. I haven't been interested in anyone, but I want to give this a try. I guess give us a try. I get if you don't want to, I mean I did reject you before, but I was also in shock from the kiss."

Calum stared at Michael with wide eyes. "And here I was listening to Sara Bareilles on repeat last night trying to figure out how to get over you." The boy smiled and wrapped his arms around Michael in a hug. The green haired boy burying his face in Calum's chest. "We'll take it slow, yeah?"

"Alright, yeah. We're going to be late for school you know?" Michael spoke as he realized they we're just hugging on the sidewalk. Calum laughed and pulled back from the hug, making Michael whine a bit and regret making the comment. He liked Calum's hugs.

"I'll race you!" Calum didn't give Michael to accept the challenge before he sprinted off. Michael tried to follow behind, but he couldn't quite keep up.

Once outside school doors, Michael was ready to cough up his lungs. Running and him didn't mix, besides the fact that he was wearing a sweater and was basically forced into physical exercise. Michael pulled the sweater off over his head, revealing an American flag top underneath.

Calum chuckled and softly punched Michael in the arm. "I won. You're a slow poke." Michael stuck his tongue out at the boy. "We're still a couple minutes early too."

The green haired boy was still very much out of breath. He was a gamer and ate bags of candy, not a runner at all. Calum noticed this and chuckled fondly before leading Michael into the school.

"C'mon, let's go to English. You can rest there."

The two boys entered the classroom, Calum said hello to Dan and Phil while Michael waved. "Michael, you look like you ran a marathon?" Dan said as he hopped down from where he was sitting on the desk.

"If we walked, we were going to be late for class." Calum explained while Michael nodded along.

Dan went over to his backpack and got a bag of smarties out. "Here, catch." He warned before throwing. Michael caught the bag and put it in his own backpack.

Calum stared between the two for second. "So that's why you always have candy?"

"Huh?"

"Every single time I see you at lunch or at the beginning of class sometimes, you have candy. I thought you just had a candy problem." Both Dan, Phil, and Michael laughed. Michael also pulled Calum in for a hug.

"No, Dan just gives me it. I don't know why. Why do you always get me a bag?" Michael asked, looking over at Dan but still hugging Calum. The older boy shrugged.

"I don't know. It became our thing? We talk about deep shit and share candy. Maybe we can add as a thank you on there?" Dan trailed off, smiling over at Phil. The action had Michael gasping.

"You two finally got togther?!" He raised his voice a bit in happiness for his friends. Dan nodded and Phil smiled. Calum looked confused.

The boy leaned over to Michael and whispered "Explain what's going on later?" Michael quickly nodded so Calum leaned back and listened to the three chat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my tumblr is ghostytommo if you wanna yell at me for late update or anything. and i sorry if chapter is kinda bad. i just wanted to get something out there in the world for you people.


	12. important fic update!!

okaaaaaay hai there. this hasn't been updated in forever and it still hasn't but basically i have learned things and i'm gonna be rewriting this story. like i promise i will rewrite and finish this story, it will happen. but i wanna change things around and make it a bit more slower paced and like make michael selectively mute. 

so yeah, i've already started on first chapter of rewrite and it'll be up on tuesday. i'mma gonna leave this up until i finish writing the rewrite and then delete it cause rewrite. so yeah kaay.

**Author's Note:**

> yooooo if anyone wants to become my favorite person in the world and yell at me to finish fics and let me just ramble about fics i wanna write or ramble about problems with writing fics then coooommeeee to mmeeeeeee my tumblr is ghostytommo.


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